Paper fastener



o. A. ROSS 2,0372% PAPER FAST-ENER Filed June 26, 1953 Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE 13 Claims.

This invention refers to paper fasteners and more particularly to that class of fasteners for clamping together a number of superimposed sheets of perforated paper such as correspondence.

One object of this invention is to provide a fastener of this character which is of improved and economical construction and which will give highly satisfactory service in use.

Another object is to furnish a paper fastener wherein the parts for holding the sheets of paper together in proper position may be firmly locked in closed or operative position so as to prevent accidental release of such parts and resultant misalignment or disarrangement of the paper sheets held thereby.

Another object is to furnish novel forms of finger locks or locking members for paper fasteners capable of being locked at predetermined and variable locked positions by the operator manipulating said fasteners.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of stop for locking members which are slidable on keepers of paper fasteners, said stops limiting the movement of said locking members within predetermined limits of travel on said keepers.

Another object is to furnish peculiar forms of keepers for paper fasteners of composite construction but lighter and of more economical form.

Another object is to furnish peculiar forms of locking members slidable on keeper plates of paper fasteners arranged to frictionally engage and be locked with the free ends of the clamping member of the fastener.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of base for paper fasteners wherein the fingers and base portion are formed from differing shaped raw material, or stock from which said fingers and base portion are stamped, or formed.

Another object is to furnish a peculiar form of clamping member for paper fasteners wherein the fingers may be readily folded fiat with the base portion for economical packaging.

Another object is to furnish a peculiar form of clamping member for paper fasteners wherein the fingers may be formed with rolled edges formed on the strip material from which said fingers are formed thereby preventing excessive tearing of the paper sheets during the adding or taking away thereof from said fasteners.

Another object is to furnish a peculiar form of clamping member for paper fasteners wherein novel means are provided for centering fingers hinged to a base portion.

Another object is to furnish a peculiar form of'clamping member for paper fasteners wherein the fingers are formed from the mid-portion or base of the clamping member, certain corrugations being formed at the juncture of the fingers with the base portion for more readily bending the fingers upwardly when the clamping member is to be used.

Another'object is to furnish a novel form of clamping member having the fingers thereof formed out of the mid-portion or base of said clamping member, the ends of the fingers being spaced when formed to provide a bridge or reenforcing portion at substantially the center of said base portion, said bridge portion being formed with a novel form of re-e'nforcement.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of keeper for paper fasteners having a wire frame supporting plate members at each end thereof, said plate members acting to lock the ends. of the frame wire together and also receive the fingers of the base member therethrough.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of keeper for paper fasteners wherein the perforation, or orifice for receiving the fingers therethrough is arranged to effect a straightening of the fingers as they are unbent upwardly for unlocking the keeper thereby preventing the forming of corrugations in said fingers which tear the paper sheets during the addition or removal thereof over said fingers.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of complete fastener including the clamping or base member and keeper associated therewith, and Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmental plan views of the base or clamping member therefor, and Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmental views of modified forms of clamping members, and Fig. 6 is a super-enlarged plan view of one end of the keeper shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. '7 is a sectional View of the same taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is also a sectional view of said keeper taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6 and Fig. 9 is an operating view, and Fig. 10 is a plan view of another modified form of clamping member in collapsed state, and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the same reformed for use and ready to receive the keeper thereon, and Fig. 12 is a perspective fragmental View of a modified form of the clamping member shown in Figs. 10 and 11 showing a modified form for locking said member to the file wrapper, or folder to which said member is attached.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, '7, 8 and 9, the paper fastener comprises base or clamping member 2 and keeper 3. Clamping member 2 comprises wire frame 4 onto the end portions of which are hinged fingers 5. Frame 4 is formed from straight wire bent as shown, the end portions 6 (Fig. 2) abutting each other at one end of said frame, said end portions having abutting flattened allocating portions 1 for positioning fingers 5 centrally at .each end of said frame. Fingers 5 comprise bendable flat portions 8 and a bifurcated hinge portion 9 having an opening it! for accommodating flattened abutting portions 1 at one end of said frame and the single flattened portion H at the opposite end of said frame (see Fig. 3) The hinged fingers 5 may be folded downwardly for more economical packaging as shown in the dotted position of finger 5 in Fig. 1.

In the modified form of base or clamping member shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the abutting end portions M are preferably butt welded and said end portions off-set inwardly or outwardly as shown for centering fingers l5, the hinge portion l6 of said fingers being continuous between each end thereof.

Keeper 3 comprises wire frame 20 formed from a straightened length of wire, the end portions 2| thereof abutting each other at one end of said frame. Clamped to each end of frame 20 are plate members 22 comprising plate or bridge portion 23 including perforation 24 for receiving fingers 5 or l5, said perforation or orifice being formed by depressing a portion of the bridge portion downwardly to form flange or wall portion 28 acting as a wall against which finger 5 impinges as it is straightened up to the dotted position shown for removing the keeper 3. This peculiar structure prevents the forming of corrugations or S shaped bends in the fingers as'shown in Fig. 9, it being found that in raising a bent finger, as 5, the resiliency of the paper under said keeper X acts to raise said keeper as said finger is raised thereby forming an S shaped corrugation S as shown, if the opposite sides of the perforation Y are substantially knife edged and formed in the same plane as shown in Fig. 9.

The inwardly facing end portion 25 of bridge portion 23 is depressed for forming the bend of the finger at a comparatively lower level than the bridge portion.

At each side of bridge portion 23 are formed clamping or shrouding portions 26 encircling the side members of frame 20 and thereby urging end portions 2| in abutment.

At the outer end of bridge portion 23 is formed clamping or shrouding portion 21 encircling the end portions 2| and aligning the same at the end of the frame having said abutting portions, the clamping portions 26 and 21 firmly securing plate member 22 at each end of said frame.

Slidable on the side members or rails of frame 29 are finger looks or looking members 30 having bridge portion 3| and cylindrical shoe portions 32 encircling said side members or rails. Downwardly extending locking portions 33 are arranged to receive fingers 5 therebetween, the upper portions 34 of said locking portions 33 being spaced less than the width of fingers 5, the resilient upward movement of said fingers acting to Wedgingly frictionally lock the edges of said fingers between said locking portions and thereby locking the finger locks 30 against sliding movement on said rails of frame 20. To move said locks the operator merely depresses said fingers whereupon said finger locks may be slid on said rails for locking or unlocking said fingers.

Referring to the modified form of base or clamping member 40 formed from strip metal shown in Figs. 10 and 11, said base comprises base portion 4| from which are punched or sheared fingers 42, said fingers being bent upwardly when to be used, as shown in Fig. 11. In punching said base portion to form fingers 42, the free ends 43 of said fingers are formed spacedly one from the other to produce a bridge portion 44 for rigidifying said base portion 4|, said bridge portion including a re-enforcement portion 41 joined to the longitudinal re-enforcing portions 46 extending beyond and around fingers 42 forming a substantially continuous reenforcing portion adjacent the margin of the base portion 4|. During the punching of fingers 42 smaller fingers 49 are also punched or sheared at the base of said fingers leaving openings as 48, said smaller fingers acting to lock the base member 49 to the folder to which it is attached.

7 When the base member 40 is to be attached to a folder or file, the fingers 42 including smaller fingers 49 are bent upwardly and thereafter inserted through the perforations usually receiving said fingers whereupon the smaller fingers are bent down as shown over the top of the folder on'the inside thereof, the base portion 4| being on the outside, or bottom of said folder, the bending down of said smaller fingers 49 acting to lock the base member 49 to the folder without making further perforation in said folder. Fingers 42 are supplied with outwardly extending locking projections 69 formed from the body of the fingers, the portion of said locking projections adjacent the ends 'of the fingers being rounded spherically to permit locking members, as for example members 3|, of keeper 3 to frictionally move inwardly over the fingers after being bent downwardly, whereas the inner portion of said locking projections are formed with a sheared edge 6| acting as a positive stop for said locking members after the sliding thereof over said projections whereby said locking members are positively but moveably locked inwardly of the ends of said fingers and therefore are prevented from accidental sliding off said fingers.

Referring to the modified form of base member 59 shown in Fig. 12, similar to base member 40 except that the locking fingers 59 thereof are formed from the outer ends of the base portion 5|. When the inwardly projecting fingers 52 are punched or sheared, the smaller locking fingers 59 are also punched or sheared and raised upwardly to be accessible. When base member 59 is to be used and after fingers 52 are bent upwardly, both the fingers 52 and 59 are inserted in the usual perforation whereupon locking fingers 59 are bent downwardly over the top of the folder cover to lock said base member 59 thereonto, the base portion 5| being outside said folder and the fingers 52 and 59 in the inside thereof.

The lower ends of fingers 42 and 52 are preferably supplied with corrugations for the more ready bending thereof at the correct point whereby the spacing of said fingers after bending upwardly by an operator will be the correct spacing corresponding to the perforations into which said fingers are inserted. This is essential in view of inserting two fingers as 42 and 49 or 52 and 59in each perforation.

Referring again to Figs. 6 and 8, it is to be noted that the side rails or members 29 of frame 29 are raised to provide clearance for the finger locks 30 during their movement over the paper sheets, the juncture between the raised rail portions 29 and the end portions forming end stops for said locking members 30.

Whereas the clamping members as 2 and 40 may be employed with the keeper 3, other clamping members as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 445,114, filed April 1'7, 1930, or disclosed in Patent No. 1,933,762, issued Novemher 7, 1933, and Patent No. 1,908,644, issued May 9, 1933, may be employed with said keepers 3. Likewise the clamping members as 2 and 40 may be employed with other forms of keepers as also disclosed in said copending applications.

Whereas the frames as 4 and 20 are shown as made from round wire stock, they may be made from fiat stock having rounded edges whereby the hinge portions as 9 or I 6 will rotate on said frames.

Whereas a frictional form of finger locking has been shown, other forms of locking said fingers may be employed as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,908,644, or locking means wherein the locking members or finger locks are locked to the keeper plate may be employed as shown in my Patent No. 1,933,762, issued November 7, 1933. Likewise the forms of frictional locking shown in the last named patent may also be employed on the fasteners disclosed in this application.

Whereas the locking projections 49 are shown as being bent inwardly, they may be bent outwardly and occupy the position shown by the similar projections 59. This is preferable when the fingers of clamping members disclosed in my Patent No. 1,908,644, are employed, such clamping members having the fingers initially semiformed for more convenient packing, said fingers extending obliquely upwardly outwardly under which conditions the locking projections initially lie in the same plane as the fingers, the bending of the fingers to the vertical plane for insertion into the folder, or binder, acting to expose the locking projections whereby they may be bent downwardly over the folder after the clamping member has been inserted through the perforations therein.

What I claim is:

1. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced substantially fiat fingers, a keeper associated with the clamping member, the fingers thereof being adapted to be bent downwardly relatively to the keeper, locking members slidably mounted on the keeper arranged to slide over the downwardly bent fingers, and locking portions on the locking members arranged to frictionally engage the edges of the fingers for looking the locking members at predetermined and variable positions on the keeper.

2. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced fingers, a keeper having perforations at each end thereof, the fingers of the clamping member being adapted.- to enter the perforation of the keeper and be bent downwardly relatively therewith, locking members slidably mounted on the keeper arranged to slide over the downwardly bent fingers, and spaced locking portions extending downwardly from the locking members arranged to frictionally engage the fingers therebetween.

3. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced substantially fiat fingers, a keeper including a frame, the fingers being adapted to be bent downwardly relatively to the keeper, locking members slidable on the keeper frame arranged to slide over the downwardly bent fingers, a bridge portion on the locking members having shoe portions at each end thereof, the shoe portions being slidable on the keeper frame, and locking portions extending downwardly from the locking members arranged to guide the fingers therebetween as the members are slid over the fingers.

4. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced fingers, a keeper including a frame, plate members rigidly secured at each end of the frame having perforations arranged to receive the fingers therethrough, the fingers being adapted to be bent downwardly over the keeper, and locking members slidably mounted on the frame arranged to slide over the downwardly bent fingers.

5. A keeper for paper fasteners comprising, a frame, perforated plate members rigidly secured at opposite ends of the frame, and finger locks slidable on the frame between the plate members secured thereto.

6. A keeper for paper fasteners comprising, an elongated frame having side and end rails, perforated plate members rigidly secured to the end rails of the frame, and finger locks slidable on the side rails of the frame.

'7. Finger locks for paper fastener keepers comprising, a bridge portion having shoe portions at each end thereof, locking portions depressed downwardly from the bridge portion, the free an elongated frame having raised side rail portions and depressed end rail portions, locating plate members having perforations rigidly secured to the depressed end portions, and finger locks slidable on the raised side rail portions.

9. A clamping member for pap r fasteners comprising, an elongated frame, and fingers having one end thereof hinged at each end of the frame.

10. A clamping member for paper fasteners comprising, an elongated frame, flattened portions at each end of the frame, fingers having a bi-furcated hinge portion at one end hinged at each end of the frame, the flattened portions of the frame being positioned in the bi-furcation of the hinge. portions of the fingers.

11. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced bendable fingers, and a keeper having elongated openings in each end thereof into which the fingers of the clamping member are inserted and bent relatively thereto, the openings in the keeper being formed by depressing a portion of the keeper body downwardly along one edge of the openings, the downwardly extending portion acting as 'a stop of the bend in the fingers during the straightening thereof for removing the keeper from the clamping member.

12. In a paper fastener, a clamping member comprising a base having fingers pivotally supported at each end thereof, a keeper having perforations at each end arranged to receive the fingers of the clamping member therein and permitting movement of the fingers to a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the keeper, and locking members slidable on the keeper arranged to be moved over the fingers after the pivotal movement of said fingers.

13. In a paper fastener, a clamping member comprising a substantial rigid base having substarrtially rigid fingers pivotally supported at each end thereof, a keeper having perforations at each end thereof arranged to receive the 

